of God shewing him selfe that he is God that euen in his time the mysterie of iniquitie began to be wrought that his comming should be with the effectual working of Satan with al power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceaueablenes of vnrighteousnes among them that perishe because they receiued not the truth that they might be saued and that therfore God should sende them strong illusions that they might beleue lyes that all might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes In these words the Apostle doth most fully and liuely set foorth the whole kingdome of Antichrist to wit that he should bring with him a departing from the fayth as the word doth sounde that he should be openly discouered to the world to be the man of sinne full of all abhominall and haynous attempts agaynst the maiestie of God that he should be the childe of perdition working his owne and others destruction that he should not onely directly set and oppose him selfe but also exalt and lift vp him selfe agaynst God that he should sitte with authoritie in the Church of God and aduaunce him selfe as God he declareth further that euen from the time of the Apostles Satan hath priuily sought to laye the foundation of this his Antichristian kingdome and the meanes to bring the same to passe he also describeth to wit that it was done by the effectuall and mightie working of Satan with all power and lying signes wonders and myracles and all subtiltie craft and deceite Finally he sheweth who they are that shall be seduced and deceiued thereby namely they that are castawaies and ordeined to destruction and he addeth therewithall a reason thereof the contempt of the trueth whereby they might be saued and that this shall be the iust iudgement of God to giue them therefore ouer to the strong illusion of seducing and erroneous spirites to their vtter confusion destruction These things Right Honorable beeing considered and layde together and compared both with the former and the present state of the Church of Christ on the one side and the pernitious practises of Satan in both we shall easily perceiue that in the later he hath farre passed the former and that in both he hath euer striuen agaynst Christ the foundation of his Church and the very effectes do declare the same if we looke but a litle therevnto For immediatly at the first publishing of the Gospell he brought to passe that Christ became a stumbling blocke and a rocke of offence vnto the Iewes as he is also at this day and to the Greekes and Gentiles foolishnes as likewise in their ofspring the Cerinthians Marcionites Maniches Arrians Nestorians Eurichians and such like heretikes oppugning his diuine and humaine nature and at last in the Turkes we see it euidently come to passe All which waying the doctrine of Christ crucified with the balances and waightes of humayne reason the course of nature Philosophie and mans wisedome haue accounted it but mere folly and playne vanitie Neuertheles these being open and professed enemies and caste out of the body and bowels of the Churche haue not bin so hurtfull and daungerous as Antichrist priuily lurking as it were in the very bosome and sitting in the middest therof pretending him selfe not onely to be a true Christian but also to be the head of the Church of Christ the Vicar of Christ the successor of the Apostles and his Romish religion and doctrine onely to be the Christian Catholike and Apostolike though it be neuer so expresly and directly to the contrary and by his Traditions Canons Councels and determinations chalenging vnto him selfe authoritie vppon the consciences of men in making them equall and of like force with the written word of God and exacting obedience therevnto vpon payne of condemnation To be short erecting a blasphemous sacrifice of the Masse expiatorie and satisfactorie for the quicke and the dead agaynst the onely most sufficient and perfect sacrifice of Christ robbing him at once of his kingly Priestly and Propheticall dignitie and office and so consequently spoyling him of his soueraigne titles and names Iesus and Christ and therewithall his Church of the benefite cause and ende of his comming in fleshe By this Romishe Antichrist and his members Satan hath more mightily preuayled agaynst the Church of Christ and shaken the foundation thereof more daungerously subtilly secretly and continually then euer he did before For although he hath not in flat wordes with the Iewes Turks Arrians and such like heretikes denied the Godhead of Christ or his manhood yet in effect hath he done the same in depriuing him of his office as I haue sayde and the end and scope of his comming which is to be the onely Christ the annoynted and holy one of God Therefore Iohn describing Antichrist sayth he shall denie Iesus to be that Christ and that therein he should deny the father and the sonne because whosoeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father And agayne Euery spirite that confesseth not Iesus Christ to haue come in the flesh is not of God and this is the spirite of Antichrist of whom ye haue heard howe that he shoulde come and now already he is in the world But to omit the monstrous and manifolde errors drawen from the sinkes and puddles of all heretikes wherwith this confuse and huge Babell of this Antichristian kingdome haue bin buylded vp the meanes and instruments wherby the same haue bine brought to passe are rather at this time shortly to be noted and marked as seruing most vnto my purpose The Apostle Paule as I haue touched before sheweth that Satan should to the accomplishing therof vse all power falshood deceit strange illusions And the same doth the spirit of God set foorth in the Reuelation by the image of a whore gorgeously arayed with purple and searlet attyred with golde precious stones and pearles hauing a cuppe of golde in her hande full of the abhominations and filthines of her fornication wherewith she maketh drunken the kings and inhabitauntes of the earth Hereby the spirite of God paynteth out the hypocriticall and goodly outwarde shew which as well Antichrist and his ministers as his doctrine should make vnto the world therby to seduce and deceiue the same This although it may be perceiued to be most true frō time to time in the hypocriticall swarmes of Popish Abbots Monkes Fryers and suche other religious orders as likewise in the scholmen and Canonistes the spirituall enchauntments and bewitchings of whose gloses distinctions definitions and conclusions haue as strong illusions beguiled the world and not onely the simple sort but the very wysest them selues and most learned yet especially the same is to be seene at this daye in the new and lately inuented Secte of the Iesuites which the Romishe Antichrist hath set foorth as the laste proppe and staye of his totering
more and more the face of true religion deformed many wayes by their predecessors to establish superstition and Idolatrie and that according to the maner of this Iuggler vnder the color of reformation buylding vp But it is well that this enemie did somewhat lately thinke of the mustering of this supply of souldiers For the lighte of the Gospell hath nowe spread his beames so farre and wide that it is no easie matter for them to extinguishe it the truth hath taken suche deepe rootes in the minds of many that it is an hard matter to pluck it out Notwithstanding it is to be lamented that in y e meane while the eyes of many vnwary and ignorant men or to speake more flatlye with Paule suche as are children in vnderstanding and foolish are so bewitched and deseled with these mens charms and doting tales that they entertaine heare haue in admiration and folow these obscure vpstarts as if they were Angels sent from heauen But suche is the disposition of many that according to the saying of Christ they loue darknes more then light and had rather follow blinde guides then those that can sée clearely briefly that preferre cruell wolues before faythfull shepheards and had rather buy their destruction dearely then receyue saluation fréely offered Truely it is a wonderfull and a pityfull thing that these vagrant and wandring persons thrusting vpon men vnder the pretence of the traditions of the Apostles moste absurde things and most contrary to the true and auncient forme of godlines shoulde be harkened vnto and embraced and in the meane time those things should be let passe with closed eyes and stopped eares which Luke in the historie of the Actes of the Apostles hath as faythfully deliuered as he wrote the history of Christ to wit the Gospel concerning the infancâ—e of the Catholike and true Apostolike Church and the first ordeining and founding therof Who can doubt vnlesse he be vtterly a godles person that as Luke is the onely writer so the holy Chest is the onely author of both the bookes Neither is there any doubt but that this spirite the gouernor and guider of the Church of Christ would haue that maner and forme committed to writing to be deliuered and leaft to the posteritie to the intent it mighte haue continually a paterne to looke vnto and folowe Verely Erasmus thought very conueniently and truely that it was meete that Christians should with greater desire couet to vnderstande the originall and beginning of their owne people that after they haue knowen by what meanes it hath growen vp they might perceiue that religion beeing decayed was by the selfe same to be restored For albeit that historie of the Actes of the Apostles be very shorte neuerthelesse there wanteth nothing that belongeth to the right buylding of the Church Here a man may see what was the Apostles doctrine fayth discipline and good gouernment and what ought the Christian and Catholike to be By these beginninges and foundations a man may surely knowe what afterwarde hath bene fitly and rightly buylded vp and added and what otherwise By this rule who so hath but a meane iudgement maye quickly perceiue what ought to be receiued and borne with in religion and shall discerne with litle adoe things that are right and true from those that be counterfaite and false And namely he shall verye easilye finde out the hypocrisie and deceitfulnes of this diuelishe felowshippeâ— both in the name that it hath newly inuented vnto it selfe as in the very thing likewise which it falsly chalengeth vnto it selfe For what is more meete and contienient then that they which beleeue in Christ and professe themselues to be of his schole and housholde should receiue and holde their name of him and should be called Christians what also is more iust then that they which professe them selues to be his disciples should kéepe and folow his doctrine And as by their name they witnesse the affinitie coniunction and fellowshippe they haue with him so likewise that they shewe foorth and as it were seale vp al these things by their life and déedes Therefore we must tâ—yne vnto the name the thing that agreeth therevnto least that our life denie that which the worde or name doeth affirme and at length beeing shut out from his fellowship we be cast into vtter darknes with all hypocrites If so be we loue the thing that is Christian godlines and religion there is no cause why we should be eyther a shamed or weary of the name which professeth it But as touching these newe companions where as Iesus is the same that Christ and they signifie playnely that they are ashamed of the name of a Christian and it is manifest that they are destitute of the thing which ought to be ioyned with the profession of the name there is no cause why they should call them selues Iesuites and saye that they haue fellowshippe with Iesu but if they wil say the trueth that is desire to expresse by their name the thing that is proper vnto them they may cal them selues both most truly aptly in stéede of Iesuites Gehezites FINIS Matth. 12. vers 37. By thy wordes thou shalt be iustified and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned 1. Cor. 3. 11. Eph. 2. 20. Math. 16. 18. Io. 14. 6. Rom. 15. 4. Math. 7. 24. 25. Io. 8. 44. Io. 8. 44. Deut. 13. Math. 7. 15. 2. Cor. 11. 14. 15. Gal. 1. 8. 9. 1. Io. 4. 1. Apo. 12. 12. Math. 24. 4. 5. 11. 23. 24. 25. 26. Mar. 13. 21. Luke 17. 23. 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. 3. 2. Tim. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 2. Pet. 2. 1. 2. 3. â—nd 4. 18. 2. Thes 2. 3. 4. 8. 9. 10. 11. Antichrist The liuely description of the kingdome of Antichrist 1. Cor. 1. 23. Iewes Gentiles Heretikes Antichrist and his doctrine Concil Florent dist 22. 22. Sacrosancta Concil Triden 1. decret Sess 4. Lind. li. 1. ca. 4. Bonifac. 8. Extra vnam sanctam Trid. Concil sess 7. ca. 1. Cath. Rom. Antichrist a more deadly enemy to Christ and his kingdome then all other 1. Io. 2. 18. 22. 23 1. Io. 4. 2. 3. The means vsed by Antichrist to set vp his kingdome 2. Thes 2. Apo. 17. 1. 2. 3. 4 2. Thes 2. 8. Mat. 26. 49. The Iesuits giue Iesus a Iudas salutation and kisse The Iesuites the Popes chiefe hope Our Vniuersities of Oxforde and Cambrige haue had to muche experience thereof Mat. 23. 15. Math. 13. 24. The waye to auoyde Satans his ministers temptations assaltes Mat. 24. 13. 28. Io. 10. The consideration of Satans continuall hatred and craft against the Church profitable to the godly Luk. 1. 4. Act. 1. 3. The Church of Christ like a ship in the sea The Church of Christ euer assaulted by satan Satan raiseth enemies out of the Church against the Church Christ for good cause exhorteth vs to watchfulnes especially the shephcards of the flocke The
séemeth to come neare to this interpretation as though Iesus had lately chosen theÌ„ to be his colleagues and fellow companions to help wretched men I demaunde againe of them a sure testimony and authenticall instrumente or wrytinge of this their choyce otherwise it will be obiected vnto them and that not without cause that they haue taken this honor to themselues which the Apostle heb 5. denyeth to haue bene done of Christ himselfe Now the holy scripture witnesseth that this is the parte of theeues robbers and woolues Again it is no single but manifolde wickednesse for a man to professe himself a felow of Iesus in that poynte which the doctrine of the Apostles doe witnes to be so his owne that hee will suffer no felowe therein to be ioyned with him for he alone bringeth and geueth saluation As many as haue it muste néedes haue receaued it at his handes and he that receaueth it from him receaueth it for him selfe not for another In this behalf he accepteth no vicars or none in steade of other much lesse desireth them For faith the only fitte and meete instrument to obtaine saluation reacheth vnto him alone and therefore I sayd that the former sectes were worthely condemned of this latter secte in that respecte that they turned ouer vnto their fathers or founders that which the heauenly father would haue to belong only to Christ But if this new faction thinketh as I haue now sayd it sinneth more gréeuously then all the other which geueth that to euery member of their factioÌ„ which they ascribe only vnto their founders for so they call their fathers which know not the onely and common foundation Notwithstanding least I should séeme to consider other mennes words either too hardly either maliciously I will folow the interpretation which is both most gentlest and also draweth with it fewer inconueniences to wit that they professe this only that they haue felowshippe with Iesus to the intent they may obteyne saluation of him which the holy Scripture promiseth to all that beléeue in him Whether they say this truely or â—alâ—â—y and worthely hope for it iâ— cannot more certainly be knoweÌ„ then by the matter it false Let vs therefore now entreate therof and examine the same as it deserueth CAP. VI. That without the felowship of Iesu there remayneth no hope of saluation I Truste that they with whome I deale wil not deny but that a man must otherwise reason against them which openly professe themselues to be enemies of the name of Christ and christian Religion then with them which will séeme to be called not only mainteyners and defenders but also restorers and delyuerers thereof therfore I will be coÌ„tent at this time with the only example of Paule in steade of many argumentes to prooue the matter For it is most plainly perceyued by the Actes of the Apostles that this most skilfull disputer did otherwise handle the cause of Christ with the Iewes then the Gentiles I therefore following the steps of this excellent Doctor as well as I can will reason against these reformers of christian doctrine and vpholders forsooth of true Religion out of these onelye principles poyntes of this doctrine which are common to both partes and granted and receiued of all men First I doubt not but the Authours and Patrones of this new sellowship hold for a true and vndoubted ground that which in the second chapiter hath bene rehearsed out of the Euangelists Mathew and Luke touching the name of Iesus and the reason thereof giuen by the Angell It remaineth therefore that I shewe the thing both conteined in the name and vttered in the reason layde downe not only to agrée with the name but also to belong onely to this person no lesse then the name it selfe Peter being fill of the holie Ghost as Luke the fourth of the Acts writeth was a most faithfull witnes and best expounder of those wordes when being demaunded of the counsell of the high Bishops of the Iewes a reason of the myracle wrought and the benefite bestowed vpon the lame man did no lesse plainly declare then constantly confesse that it was all done by the name of Iesu whom they had crucified but God had raised from the dead adding with all that saluation is so offered and geuen through this man that he denyeth the same may be giuen by any man vnder heauen What could be sayd more pithely and expresly The vniuersall negatiue cutteth of all occasion of cauilling or quarrelling ioyned twise to that so waightie an affirmation The selfe same doth Paule almoste euerye where in his Epistles make good and doth also in some places set foorth with a very proper contrarietie of a twofolde Adam or man Hee setteth these fathers one against another as two contrary fountaines which beget two contrary ofsprings to wit him whom he nameth olde earthlye those that are infected and altogether defiled with sinne and therfore are in danger of the wrath of God and euerlasting death The other which on y e contrarie side he calleth new and heauenly those that be garnished with righteousnesse and foreappoynted to euerlastinge and happy life For as children doe ech of them retaine the nature and propertie of their parents so whatsoeuer beloÌ„geth to the fathers commeth at length also to the children for as destruction and euerlasting death is the iust rewarde of sin so saluation and a blessed life is by the goodnes of God annesed vnto righteousnes Wherefore euen as whosoeuer is borne of that first man for as much as he bringeth with him originall sinne cannot auoyde the punishment of euerlasting damnation wher by it commeth to passe that as one well saith euery man is first condemned before he be borne so for as much as none but those that beinge elected adopted and borne a new of the heauenly father are iustified or made righteous in the latter man to witte Christ It is meete also that those only be made partakers of euerlastinge saluation which thing Christ himselfe most clearely witnesseth As saith he the Father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath he geuen to the Sonne to haue life in him selfe and for that ende as in another place hee addeth that he that beléeueth in him shoulde not pearish but haue euerlasting life Wherunto agree those things which Mathew and Luke doe write that he saide of his comming into this world The sonne of man saith he came to séek and to saue that which was lost Therefore without him there is nothing els but death and destruction and in him alone is life and saluation and into him must all those be ingraffed which will receaue life of him and they must put on him as many as desire to haue their filthines couered and wiped away which thing is moste plainly shewed of Iohn also the first Epistle and fist chapter This is the testimonie of God that he hath geuen vs life
prouided a newe supply of aide whiche hee hath secretely brought into the chiefest tower of his kingdome For it was so shaken and battered that he perceiued it neare ouerthrowne But while we which haue succeeded into the places and seats of those holy men doe pitifully striue together Certaine spurnes and byters amongst vs raising vp new brawls troubles by the policie watchfulnes and industry of this newe aide the enemy hath so restored within these fewe yeares that same his tower that it may appeare that the whole crue of Antichrist stande in great hope shortly to recouer their former authoritie dignitie and power And I persuade my selfe that not only the authours fauourers and Patrons of this so great euill but all that giue occasion thereunto by what colour or pretence so euer they doe it shall at length bee punished of God the most iust iudge most vehement defendour and mainteiner of the kingdome of his Sonne And forasmuch as I am also persuaded that he will take an account of all those vnto whom he hath committed his talentes bee they neuer so small I thought my selfe not to be free from either faulte or punishment if I should through feare or idlenes refuse to bestowe that which I know is committed vnto me though it bee neuer so simple to put away the shame ioyned with manifest destructioÌ„ of the Church which I perceiue to be laide vpon Christ by this vpstart host of Satan For seeing these galants stand before our doores and builde vê‘ fortresses aduauncing their Capitaines engines into our Schooles and Churches neare about vs if wee shoulde any longer forbeare might we not worthily be thought willingly and wittingly to betray the cause of Christ and his church and to withholde in vnrighteousnes the trueth of God which wee heare and see to bee by these men turned into falshood But as concerning the first ofspring to wit the true father of this deuillishe broode which haue â—ayned vnto them selues and vsurped no lesse arrogantly then strangely a name from Iesu and in what place and time it first sprang vp although it be lately begotten yet I perceiue diuers reportes to be made neuertheles I thought not good to trauell in the searching out and examining thereof It is well knowne to be an inuention of man And if I must at once speake my minde hereof I will doe it in fewe words If the iudgement of that great Basile be true that parentes are knowen by the likenes appearing in their children if by duetie and obediéce vnto their parentes true and naturall children are wont to bee knowne from bastardes this newe impe can haue no other true parentes then the Romishe Antichrist and whore of Babylon For that is most plainly prooued both by the resemblaunce which is betweene them and the good will that the one beareth the other My purpose is at this time to withdrawe the visor from this monster counterfaited both by the name which it proudly chalengeth vnto itselfe as by the thing which that goodly title beareth the worlde in hand I will only touch the doctrine whiche these newe maisters mainteine so farre foorth as my purpose suffereth me or els craueth of me I vndertake not at this time purposely to refuse it knowing that it is all one with the Popishe doctrine which nowe alreadie is sufficiently confuted Some also of our men hath euen namely examined the same neither slenderly nor vnluckely I promise such modestie as the matter can beare To reproue errours and to rebuke vices the loue of trueth and vertue enforceth as for the desire to cauill much more to slander who so loueth godlines doeth hate detest and abhorre it I will deale faithfully I likewise craue of the readers that they bring with them to the reading hereof aloue and zeale of the trueth ioyned with godlines and desire of their owne saluation P. B. A DEFENCE OF THE old and true Christianitie agaynst the new and counterfaite secte of the â—esuites or felowship of Iesu CAP. I. That they do greatlye offende that take vppon them names in matters of religion whiche are not agreeable vnto them THe Holy Scripturs do plainelye teache and experience it self cuideÌ„tly proue that men sinne aswell in word and talke as in déede and fact Wherfore they that are of a sound iudgement will easely confesse that as manye as haue any care and loue of religion oughte to haue as great regard of woordes as thinges The same also perswadeth the affinitie and coniunction whiche is betweene woordes and the thinges whiche they signifie for it is certayne that the vse of wordes standeth in the signification thereof being so greate that in speech in the stead of thinges as he sayth we vse the names therof and for that cause those wordes in the iudgemente of the wise are counted best and fittest which expresse things so as they may be most plainelye vnderstoode and doe represente them to the hearers mind eueÌ„ as a glasse doth lay before the eyes of the beholder the shape of the countenance which is before it Hereof it may easely be perceiued that it is the parte of a well meaninge and godlye minde to auoyde earnestlye not onely filthie and corrupt speeche but also doubtfull darke fond and such as breedeth offence yea and further that bringeth not grace vnto the hearers and edâ—fieth not as the Apostle sayth For whereas no parte of our life oughte to be voyde of religion but our mind our hand and tounge shoulde be agreeable thereunto who so hath a religious mind will make choyse as well of wordes as of thinges and he will endeuour in good words seasoned with salt that I may againe speake with the Apostle and plaine to vtter that whiche hee doth well and rightly conceiue and to bee shorte because his minde so affected thinketh it a shamefull thinge as to erre and to be deceaued so to deceiue any man he will chiefly take héede that whatsoeuer beloÌ„geth to religion be setfoorth of him with godly and religious wordes whereunto I hold it a most ready and sure way to vse the tounge of the holy Ghoste for so it liketh some to speake that is to vse the words which the Prophetes and Apostles the instrumentes of the holy Ghost haue vsed For who can doubt but that thys heauenlye master that hath reuealed these heaueÌ„ly misteries vnto them hath therewithall deliuered wordes méete to open such great misteries and suche as are most fitte for the capacitie of men the hearers thereof Saint Augustine therefore most wisely in my iudgement hath thus written of this matter in his 10 tooke of the citie of God the 23. chap. The Philosophers sayth hee vse wordes at will and in thinges not hard to be vnderstoode they feare not to offende the eares of the godly But we must speake orderlye leaste the libertie of our wordes breede in vs an ill opinion concerninge thinges which
obscure and to say nothing bitterly foolishe Therfore this marueilous practiser Sathan hath by his subtleties brought to passe that Christ should be banished out of his owne kingdome should be a stranger in his own house and shoulde be withdrawen and quite taken away from their eyes eares and mindes whiche pretended themselues to fight vnder his banner For they that were baptized in the name of Christ had made promise vnto him woulde neuer either take vnto themselues either suffer themselues to be called by the names either of Angels or men or any other thing were it of neuer so great value if they had truly knowne him to whom they had addicted themselues and if they had rightly vnderstood what he required of them and had couenanted with them or what they had promised vnto him For it coulde not haue come to passe that they shoulde haue ioyned themselues vnto any other vnlesse first they had departed from him Uerely this may thereby be plainly perceiued which is writter of some auncient writers that the Emperour Tyberius did in time past referre to the iudgement of the Senate whether Christ were to be placed amongst the nomber of their Gods vnto whome the Senate woulde not consent for that cause that Christ woulde be honoured alone For the Senate castly perceiued that they were to let goe all their other Gods whom they had receiued if they shoulde receiue him Which reason if the Romishe church had diligently wayed it woulde neuer haue entertained suche a company of Mediators as it doeth nowe For it would lightly perceiue that it coulde not holde Christ together with them For christian religion acknowledgeth and worshippeth as one God so one Mediator and doth adorne or honour with the onely christian name all those that worship him CAP. v. That this newe Sect by the verie name drawne from Iesus doeth shewe it selfe giltie of noueltie Schisme and Sacriledge DIuers thinges haue heretofore of some bene written touching the originall the reason and sundry allusions of the name Iesuite whiche I néede not to repeate What I thinke I will vtter simply and without cauils For to iest much lesse to cauil it liketh me not in so earnest a matter I will easily graunt vnto the deuisers thereof that they haue deriued it from the name of Iesus after the same maner by which sometimes they y t canie of Israel were called Israelites and at this day they are called Ioanites and Iacobites whiche will be called and thought to be followers of Iohn and Iames. For the knot we nowe seeke lyeth not in that thing For we are in hande nowe not with the propertie of the worde but with the truth and godlines of the Iesuites profession First as I doe like very well that these newe fellowes that I may not defraude them of their praise by this name fained of themselues doe plainly signifie that they doe reprooue and condemne the authours of former Sectes which gaue them names taken from mens names by whiche thing it is manifest that they spread abroad no small séedes of Sâ—ismes and superstitions and doe call them backe to Iesus Christ as the onely fountain and head from whome those names do testifie that they haue fallen away and haue digged to themselues pittes that can holde no water so I cannot but much mislike yea and sharply reprooue their rashnesse and boldnesse that forsaking the common title of all christians nowe alreadie heretofore receiued whose authour to haue bene the holy Ghost which to haue bene alwayes had in reuerence with our godly forefathers it hath bene alreadie declared they dare fame and vpon their owne heades take vnto themselues an other hitherto vnheard of and nothing agréeing with them and which is ioyned with no small reproch of Christ the Sauiour of all the faithfull Euerie man knoweth that the name of Iesuites is newe Now that noueltie as in all other things so especially in the cause of religion is greatly to be auoided all the godly and learned doe well warne vs which thing the Apostles by their example haue approoued For when the doctrine of the Gospell was at the first slaundered by the enemies with the name of Noueltie we plainly perceiue by their writings that they especially Paule did diligentlyendeuour to shake of this slaunder And in suche why shoulde newe names be deuised but to signifie newe thinges it is not misliked of the learned that newe names be deuised for newe thinges For that doeth Hierome in the first Epistle to the Galathians maintaine against certaine froward and deintie men but he then thinketh it lawfull to be done when either profite either necessitie doeth exhort or rather force them thereunto But where as these of this fellowship will séeme for that purpose to haue flockt together and to haue come forth into the worlde that they might restore the auncient godlines what eyther profite could leade or necessitie force them to deuise this name First of all by that newe name they promise an other thing then they perfourme and so it commeth to passe that they themselues are coÌ„trarie to themselues Secondly howe agreeth this newe name with the auncient doctrine and religion Truely no more then a péece of newe or rawe and vndressed cloth with an olde garment as Christ saith For what is this newe title but a certaine marke engrauen in then forehead which warneth all men and clearely pronounceth that there is nothing els but that which is newe and lately deuised to be looked for of these vpstartes or newe fellowes Paule not without cause warneth his scholler Tymothie whom hée entirely loued as his naturall sonne the 1. Epistle Cap. 6. verse 20. That he would abhorre newe tearmes although I knowe other doe reade vaine tanglinges of wordes For it skilleth litle which way we reade séeing there is verie great affinitie betwéene y e things signified and the wordes Verely new thinges are often also vaine Luke noteth in the Athenians Actes 17. The desire of noueltie and vanitie to bee thinges that goe alwayes together And surely it was verie wise counsell that he gaue who when his friend said vnto him he had some newe thing answered I had rather haue some profitable and auaileable thing Furthermore this late sect vndertaketh either to set forth the doctrine and religion of the Prophetes and Apostles either some other contrarie thervnto If it professe that it bringeth the same what fondnesse is it to make that thing suspicious and odious with a new name which as it is most true so is it most ancient But if it bringeth a contrarie there is no cause why it should be offended with vs if we bid it to be gone with his forgeries and pronounce it to be accursed séeing the Apostle of Christ Gal. the first willeth vs to doe the same yea against an Angell of heauen For as Christ is sayde to haue made newe all things and
thereby doe conceiue most assured hope that they shall be heyres of the kingdome of God with Christ whom with great ioye of mind they looke for CAP. XIII That in the newe felowship of the Iesuits there appeareth no signe of the crosse of Christ I Doubte not but that these men whom I impugne will saye that they ackowledge like and embrace as most true whatsoeuer nowe hath bene sayd touching the bearing of the crosse of Christ but that it is so farre of that they make agaynst them that they make most for them So in most points of doctrine we agrée in words but we disagrée very much in vnderstanding and sense Wherefore we must haue a touche stone which may discerne the true sense from the false The doctrine therefore of the crosse of Christ is to be discussed in a few more words and this crosse is to be seuered from all other And they are to be discerned the one from the other chiefly by their causes For that saying of Cyprian that notable writer is no lesse true then common The cause and not the punishment maketh a Martyr Whiche also was vsed after of moste godly writers namely of Augustine agaynst the Donatistes which did falsly chalenge vnto them selues the name and prayse of the Martyrs of Christ vnto whome also Augustine doth very well obiect that Christ did not simply pronoūce them blessed which suffer persecution but therwithall did adde for me for righteousnes and the truthes sake and so foorth Moreouer Peter also doth most clearely disseuer them in his first Epistle the seconde Chapter verse 19. and the 4. Chapter verse 15. not only bringing in the true cause to wit the profession of the name of Christ but also forbidding the contrarie and remouing it away by an opposition what praise is it if when yee be buffeted for your faultes ye suffer it paciently whereunto likewise that seemeth to pertaine which Paule the first to the Corinthians the 13. Chapter writeth of him who being voyde of charitie doeth deliuer ouer his bodie to be burned But here chiefly standeth the doubt that our aduersaries doe chalendge to them selues the place and part of Augustine and ascribe vnto vs the part of the Donatistes and such like Neuertheles they that see not howe farre the doctrine and religion of Augustine doeth differ from the doctrine and religion of these vpstartes and which can not iudge howe vnlike our cause is to the Donatists it is maruell if they knowe howe and are able to discerne a coale from snow Wheresoeuer the name of Christ is there is y e crosse of Christ and where Christ is rightly knowne or rather acknowledged there it is to beléeued that the name of Christ is But it is euident that these men doe not know Christ and that they haue and doe worship a painted and phantasticall Idoll in the steade of the liuing and true Christ Then they only can be afflicted for righteousnes sake which follow true righteousnes which thing they only doe which hold the trueth and followe it as a light going before them And who they be which haue the trueth on their side the puritie of doctrine declareth which as it is the soule of the church as it were so is it a light to discerne and finde out darknesse the Rule which teacheth vs to trye straight thinges from crooked the touchstone also which seuereth true things from counterfait Furthermore what doctrine this newe faction doeth professe and followe and contrarily what we doe partly it hath bene shewed before and partly a litle after shalbe shewed for it is not vnknowne For they differ as much as mens inuentions do from Gods decrées that is as much as darknesse differeth from light Thus much touching the discerning the causes of affliction Nowe let vs entreate of the diuers and sundry kindes of the crosse of Christ least we should wrōgfully exclude any man from the same by the fleshly vnderstanding of man Cyprian a true Doctour and Pastor of the church and a most faithfull and constant Martyr of Christ hath lefte behinde him to the posteritie a learned and godly booke of two sortes of martyrdome the reading whereof I iudge most profitable for all men Out of it I will gather some flowers but chaunging the order which he kepte For in the first place I thinke beste that we consider of that kinde of Martyrdome which he calleth secrete and is common to all times For it belongeth also vnto all persons which do come vnto that age in which iudge ment is ripe and the discretion or discerning of good euill is gotten Neyther can there bee any place for that kinde of martyrdome which we may call outward and manifest neyther is it for all either persons either times vnles that first goe before Neroes Diocletians Decians or Maximians doe not alwayes rage as he saith neuertheles the Deuill neuer ceaseth to trouble them that are the professed souldiours of Christ They are neuer without an enemy which do loue Christ godlines and righteousnes For euen the most holiest doe carrye with them whether soeuer they goe a familiar enemy We must alwayes fight that battell which Paule liuely painteth out the 6. 7. and 8. Chapters to the Rom. The warre is continuall whereof he speaketh the 5. Chapter to the Galathians in the which the godly oftentimes receiue woundes sometimes also doe take the foyle So that they doe that which they woulde not Moreouer whither so euer they cōme that are desirous to defend and set foorth the trueth they light vpon the worlde which can not hearken therunto without repining and grudging Whosoeuer is not willing to forsake it and to depart from it as all those ought to be willing which will haue any felowship with Christ he must alwayes vndertake the combat with it he must alwayes looke for and beare the hatred reproches and assaultes thereof By these exercises they are easily knowne who are to vse the Apostles wordes louers of God rather then of pleasures Nowe of which part these new confederates are the tentes which they follow do manifestly bewray Besides the enemies which consist of flesh and blood they that haue felowship with Christ are alwayes besieged with the powers of darkenesse the rulers of this worlde and spirituall wickednesses whiche doe alwayes lye in waite for them with these enemies all the children of God doe continually wrastle and striue All that are of this number and band doe prepare sense and defende them selues with the weapons and armour which the Apostle noteth out and describeth the 6. to the Ephesians Hereby as by sure marks they that fight vnder the banner of Christ in this fielde are knowne They that drawe vnto themselues a crosse or deuise vnto them selues armour of their owne making haue no cause at all to say that they beare the crosse of Christ For that only is to be saide to be
his which he layeth vpon our shoulders and whiche they shall neuer wante which make account to liue godly For the only sight of the wicked life of the vngodly doeth oftentimes bring vnto the godly a hard and bitter crosse as it befell sometime to Noe and Lot as Peter witnesseth the 2. Epistle and 2. Chapter Briefly the life of a godly Christian is a continuall combat in this our exile or banishment as Iob truely witnesseth who was greatly and long practized in this warfare Neyther doth Christ grant vnto those that are his souldiours any release or time of ease and giuing ouer but so long as they breath he woulde haue them not only to hope but also to sigh and grone Therefore then at length shall they haue fully ended the fight when they haue likewise ended their liues It is wel said also that the life of godly men is a continual repentance whiche if it be true neuer lacketh a crosse of Christ Now whereas these newe felowes do not know what true repentance and turning to God is as it is playn by their owne writings neither vnderstande by what meanes the mortification and burial of the olde man and quickening of the new is brought to passe they haue no cause why they should saye they beare the crosse of Christ and chalenge to them selues a place in his felowship Besides this kinde of Martyrdome which partemeth to all the godly and is chiefly wrought inwardly in the theatre of the minde onely there is an other which belongeth neither vnto all times neither all beleeuers but to them alone which endure tormēts euen vnto the death for the profession of the name of Iesu Christ and haue as it were sealed vp with their bloud amongst vnbeleeuers the Indenture of the Gospell as Cyprian speaketh whose captayne is the finisher and accomplisher of our fayth Christ as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues the 12. chap. vers 2. doth very notably set him foorth to be followed of all the godly And they onely follow him whom there vnto he chooseth and calleth that is whom he vouchsafeth of that honour For to suffer reproches in this behalfe the Apostles by their example haue taught Acts 5. ver 41. to be reckoned a matter of great honour and gayne The same also haue they taughte in wordes especiallye Paul whose life apeareth to haue bin a continuall Martyrdome For he so caryed about both in his mind Christ crucified and so set him foorth and paynted him out with his talke and so expressed him in his life that he also caried about him in his fleshe his markes not paynted or fayned as the Franciscan Fryers Idoll but printed in all partes of his body as the which mused vpon and practised this onely thing since Iesus chose him to be of his felowship that he might fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in his fleshe for his body sake whiche is the Church It is not in sooth the part of a godly wise man to drawe vnto him rashly the hatred of the world or without iuste occasion to enter into daunger vnder the pretence of trueth or religion but to reiect refuse it béeing offered of God it is the parte of a faynt harted and faythles man Wherefore although it be not necessary that al men should witnesse their profession of the Gospell by outward suffering and torments muche lesse seale it vp with the sheadding of their bloud neuerthelesse all those that will be accomted of the heauenly father and Iesu Christ for sonnes and brethren and not be throwen into vtter darknes and euerlasting fyre with faith breakers and hypocrites ought at least to seale the same with the preparation of their minds thereunto as some speake that is ought so to haue their mindes bent or setled that they be ready not onely to enter into daungers but also suffer death if the glory of Christ the saluation of the Church and cause of the trueth doth require the same Whether these newe companions of Iesu cary such mindes or no it is not harde to iudge by these thinges that they haue hithervnto done and yet doe For they that are always present with the sworne enimies of Christ and doe take secrete counsell with them doe encourage tyrants are to tormentors as it were bellowes to kindle flaming fyres against the sonnes of God the brethrē and members of Iesu Christ finally which apply all their intentes and purposes to that ende that they maye crucifie the true professors of Christ howe can they haue minds prepared and ready to beare the crosse CAP. XIIII That the Iesuites haue a great resemblaunce and likenes with these heretikes which are called Nazarites the enimies of the crosse of Christ IT is euidently knowen by the historie of the Actes of the Apostles that assoone as the light of the Gospel began to spread abrode his beames Satan raysed vp agaynst it diuers kindes of enimies which althoughe they were very vnlike one the other amongst them selues yet they did all conspire together in this that they hated Christian religion and laboured by all their deuises and endeuours eyther wholly to let eyther to hinder the course of the G 〈…〉 ll Amongst the Iewes there were especially the High Priests the Pharisees and the whole scomme of y ◠Priesthode There were also amongst the people very many which were oftentimes stirred vp by those bellowes Amongst the Gentiles there were diuers kindes and states as those times did require of the which perhaps somewhat shal be spoken at an other time Now I will speake of a certayne kind which that perpetuall enimie of Christ and hys Church had set foorth by a speciall deuise and instructed with a peculiar subtiltie It was a kinde of men both very craftie and very pestilent the which as it did the more secretly vndermine the Church so did it hurt it more daungerously First it crept in subtilly to the duetie of teaching for it insinuated it selfe as it appeareth vnder the colour of spreading abroad the Gospell And for as muche as the name of Paule was very famous for his marueilous dexteritie in preaching the Gospell and his happy successe in publishing thereof whiche thing also gote him the hatred of very many these hypocrites thought best chiefly to set them selues agaynst him thinking that to be very profitable for their purposes and deuises For they thought that to be the readyest waye for them to come to glory and gayne which they onely regarded and whervnto they turned all their doctrine Therfore taking vpon them the person of Apostles they sought by all kinde of lyes trecheries to remoue Paule from his place and to thrust him from his seate that is to take away all authoritie from him and they troubled him wonderfully with diuers slaunders Nowe as they had taken vpō them to vexe and to